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Introduction To Carmelites Type Book


andibc

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Our daughter is a cloistered Carmelite and our new daughter-in-law has no experience with that type of spirituality, life, thinking, etc. She is Catholic and of course has been hearing about religious from our son.  I think it would be helpful for her to have a little background on the spirituality before reading our daughter's letters, and thankfully she loves to read.  My first thought was "A Story of the Soul".  What do you think? 

 

I've been involved in Carmelite things for so many years now, and have read so many books, that I might be missing an obvious book that would be more helpful to someone who has no background in these types of things.

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veritasluxmea

St. Therese is a great place to start. Maybe a biography about her life would be better instead? They usually provide more background information on the Carmelites and her life that isn't included in Story of a Soul and present it in a more organized manner. 

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Our daughter is a cloistered Carmelite and our new daughter-in-law has no experience with that type of spirituality, life, thinking, etc. She is Catholic and of course has been hearing about religious from our son.  I think it would be helpful for her to have a little background on the spirituality before reading our daughter's letters, and thankfully she loves to read.  My first thought was "A Story of the Soul".  What do you think? 

 

I've been involved in Carmelite things for so many years now, and have read so many books, that I might be missing an obvious book that would be more helpful to someone who has no background in these types of things.

 

If it is at all possible then I think visiting that Carmel and having someone there explain their life might help.

 

This is part one of several videos that might be good for her to watch too

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNk5F-peg0

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- I often like to recommend My Beloved: The Story of a Carmelite Nun as a good introduction to Carmel for a discerner, but I'm not sure whether or not for a daughter-in-law just learning about it. maybe so though, http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/110110-my-beloved-by-mother-catherine-thomas/

 

http://www.amazon.com/My-Beloved-The-Story-Carmelite/dp/B000P6ERY4

 

- the same goes with A Few Lines to Tell You, although I think My Beloved could be better to start with, http://www.amazon.com/Few-Lines-Tell-You-Carmel/dp/B000PTMC70/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319420127&sr=8-1

 

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071151875;view=1up;seq=1

 

- But maybe a Carmelite saint's biography or autobiography really would be the best introduction, as you are considering. 

 

- I also especially love this one, which could work very well for an introduction book (though especially for those you might not read a lot, but could see the life of Carmel in pictures, and little beautiful excerpts from her writings) http://www.amazon.com/Light-Love-Life-Elizabeth-Trinity/dp/0935216073/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412210983&sr=1-1&keywords=light+love+life

 

 

will let you know if I can think of anything else

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JMJ

 

Chiquitunga, I enjoy your opinions and would love it on this question. What do you think of "God the Joy of My Life" by Michael Griffin, O.C.D. as an introduction book? In case you haven't read it, it's a biography on Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes.

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I love Drink of the Stream! I would also recommend Meeting God: Carmelite Reflections and Prayer, which is much shorter and includes many beautiful reflections, as well as the full text of the Carmelite rule.

 

Another excellent book is Climbing the Mountain: The Carmelite Journey by Johan Bergstrom-Allen, which is designed as a practical introduction to Carmelite spirituality for newcomers and is very nicely illustrated too. Personally I would get this and one of the prayer books.

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If she is up for a movie, I would recommend The Nun, which displays the various dynamics which affect Marta's family as she pursues her Carmelite vocation in the cloister. May God bless your Carmelite daughter!

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JMJ

 

Chiquitunga, I enjoy your opinions and would love it on this question. What do you think of "God the Joy of My Life" by Michael Griffin, O.C.D. as an introduction book? In case you haven't read it, it's a biography on Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes.

 

Hey Charbel! Sorry I didn't see this earlier. I still need to read that book! I've only read a couple small ones on her, and what I try to read in the Spanish picture book I have. But I think this is the biggest one in English on her life. How is it? It includes part of her diary right?

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JMJ

 

Hey Charbel! Sorry I didn't see this earlier. I still need to read that book! I've only read a couple small ones on her, and what I try to read in the Spanish picture book I have. But I think this is the biggest one in English on her life. How is it? It includes part of her diary right?

 

Oh it is a very good book on such a beautiful saint. Here are the contents straight from the book:

 

CONTENTS

 

Foreword.........................................................................................VII

 

The Life Of Teresa Of The Andes.......................................................1

 

Teresa, A New Model For Youth.....................................................140

 

Her Intimate Spiritual Diary.............................................................181
 

A Biographical Guide......................................................................311

 

Papal Homilies................................................................................319

 

Father General's Reflection............................................................336

 

Photographs...................................................................................343

 

It goes into much detail about her about her life before she entered Carmel and after she entered, her family, her spirituality, her death and about her canonization process, and the influence she had on others, plus more. It is a very beautiful book and as you can see from above, the part with her actual diary is about 130 pages of it. It also includes quotes from her diary throughout the other sections as well. Definitely a good read if you are interested in her life or want to know more about her in general. On a separate note, the movie made about her was done amazingly. Both are wonderful, but I found that after reading this book, the movie was much more enjoyable. And I loved the movie before I read it. Blessings!

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thank you Charbel!! okay, I need to get it and read it! hello! and yes, that movie is pretty much my favorite movie of all time, along with the Passion of the Christ, others come close/can't really compare movies, because they are all different. but yeah, there's really no movie/mini-series like Teresa de Los Andes!!!

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graciandelamadrededios

JMJ

 

 

Oh it is a very good book on such a beautiful saint. Here are the contents straight from the book:

 

CONTENTS

 

Foreword.........................................................................................VII

 

The Life Of Teresa Of The Andes.......................................................1

 

Teresa, A New Model For Youth.....................................................140

 

Her Intimate Spiritual Diary.............................................................181
 

A Biographical Guide......................................................................311

 

Papal Homilies................................................................................319

 

Father General's Reflection............................................................336

 

Photographs...................................................................................343

 

It goes into much detail about her about her life before she entered Carmel and after she entered, her family, her spirituality, her death and about her canonization process, and the influence she had on others, plus more. It is a very beautiful book and as you can see from above, the part with her actual diary is about 130 pages of it. It also includes quotes from her diary throughout the other sections as well. Definitely a good read if you are interested in her life or want to know more about her in general. On a separate note, the movie made about her was done amazingly. Both are wonderful, but I found that after reading this book, the movie was much more enjoyable. And I loved the movie before I read it. Blessings!

 

I also have a copy of this book.

 

The photo of St. Teresa of Jesus of Andes was taken before she entered Carmel.  She was dressed in a borrowed Carmelite habit since photography equipments are not allowed inside the monastery.  The Carmelite habit she borrowed is authentic since it was owned by one of the Nuns of Santiago Carmel.

 

Lisieux Carmel allowed Genevieve to enter Carmel along with her photography equipments, hence, we have lots of photos of St. Therese, her sisters, and the entire Lisieux community.

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Lisieux Carmel allowed Genevieve to enter Carmel along with her photography equipments, hence, we have lots of photos of St. Therese, her sisters, and the entire Lisieux community.

When Celine entered, the camera was not considered an artistic hobby, but by the time Teresa of Los Andes entered, that would have already changed. 

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